Cape Town, Jan 5 (IANS): Amidst criticism over sending a weak team for the New Zealand Test tour, South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad believes one has no other option but to co-exist with T20 leagues around the world to ensure the sustainability of the game, especially in the country.

South Africa’s leading players will stay at home to play the second season of SA20 and skip the Test tour of New Zealand, which is in a clash with the league. The 14-member South Africa team for the New Zealand tour will be captained by opener Neil Brand, who is amongst the seven uncapped players in the team.

The move brought immense criticism for South Africa in prioritising their franchise T20 league competition over a Test series for financial sustainability reasons, including from legendary Australia captain Steve Waugh, who said whether it was a defining moment for Test cricket.

"I don't think Steve Waugh is going to really care what I say but I love how everybody outside South Africa have become experts on South African cricket. Our hand has been forced. Everybody understands the SA20 has to happen. SA20 has to happen because it is the lifeblood of South African cricket."

"If it doesn't happen, we are not going to have Test cricket anyway. We've got to find a way to coexist with the league, we've got to co-exist with leagues around the world to ensure the sustainability of the game," said Conrad in the post-match press conference after South Africa lost to India by seven wickets inside two days at the Newlands Cricket Ground.

He also insisted that the South Africa squad selected for New Zealand tour had some prep at home and will also be playing a warm-up match at Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln University from January 29-31. The two Tests will be played on February 4-8 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui and February 13-17 at Seddon Park in Hamilton.

“It is a sad state of affairs when you need more luck than skill to survive in a Test match. Take nothing away from India, they were superb, but you are not going to win many Tests scoring 55 (in the first innings). This has come as a shock to the system, but I will not lay the blame on our playing XI.”

"What we've done is that I used the A side tour against West Indies as part of the prep. We are going to be leaving for New Zealand a few days earlier, so that we can prepare there. We leave on the 19th of January for the Test on the 4th of February."

In the South Africa squad, David Bedingham, Keegan Petersen, Zubayr Hamza, Khaya Zondo, Duanne Olivier, Dane Paterson, and Dane Piedt will be the capped players. "It's still South Africa that's going there. We don't sing a different national anthem. We don't wear a different blazer or anything like that. We are going to give it our best shot."

"I hate the fact that South Africa go as underdogs because I don't think we ever should be underdogs in anything that we do, but we do go as underdogs. Anything that we come back with, whether it is a draw or if we sneak a win, that's going to be massive for us."